MEDIA RESOURCE STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT

• US 20130251339A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crowder, William, Koller, Jeffrey G., Fullagar, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,774,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

A computer-implemented method obtains a plurality of image files, each corresponding to an image in a video stream and builds a common file from a contiguous grouping of the plurality of image files. The video stream has a plurality of contiguous video segments, each having a first video frame, and the plurality of image files correspond to the plurality of first video frames of the plurality of video segments. The plurality of video segments are of approximately equal duration.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) obtaining a plurality of images, each of said images corresponding to an image in a video stream;

wherein the obtaining in (A) comprises;

(a1) logically splitting the video stream into a number of contiguous segments, each segment having a corresponding start point, and each start point having a corresponding video frame associated therewith; and

(a2) for each particular segment of the segments, determining a start video frame corresponding substantially to the start point of said particular segment, and forming a particular image corresponding to said start video frame, whereby said plurality of images correspond to said start video frames;

(B) forming a common file comprising a contiguous grouping of the plurality of images; and

(C) providing said common file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said video stream comprises a plurality of contiguous video segments, each of said video segments having a first video frame, and wherein the plurality of images correspond to the plurality of first video frames of the plurality of video segments.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of video segments are of approximately equal duration.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining in (A) comprises:

(a3) determining n distinct locations in the video stream;

(a4) determining n video frames F1, F2, . . . , Fn, by, for each location j of said n distinct locations, determining a corresponding video frame Fj, wherein said plurality of images correspond to said n video frames.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the building in (B) comprises:

forming a common file comprising a contiguous grouping of the n video frames F1, F2, . . . , Fn.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining meta data associated with said n distinct locations in the video stream; and

wherein the common file formed in (B) comprises at least some of the meta data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the meta data include one or more of:

timing information; and

location information.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the meta data comprise meta-data M1, M2, . . . , Mn relating to each of the frames F1, F2, . . . , Fn, where meta data Mj relates to frame Fj, for j=1 to n.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) determining n distinct locations in a video stream, said video stream comprising n logically contiguous video segments, each of said n locations corresponding to a start position of a corresponding one of said video segments;

(B) determining n video frames F1, F2, . . . Fn, by, for each location j of said n distinct locations, determining a corresponding video frame Fj substantially at or near said location j; and

(C) determining n images corresponding to said n video frames;

(D) building a common file comprising a contiguous grouping of the n images; and

(E) providing said common file.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of video segments are of approximately equal duration.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining meta data associated with said n distinct locations in the video stream, wherein the common file comprises at least some of the meta data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the meta data include one or more of:

timing information; and

location information.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the meta data comprise meta-data M1, M2, . . . , Mn relating to each of the frames F1, F2, . . . , Fn, where meta data Mj relates to frame Fj, for j=1 to n.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) obtaining a plurality of images, each of said images corresponding to an image in a video stream;

wherein the obtaining in (A) comprises;

(A)(1) determining n distinct locations in the video stream;

(A)(2) determining n video frames F1, F2, . . . Fn, by, for each location j of said n distinct locations, determining a corresponding video frame Fj, wherein said plurality of images correspond to said n video frames, and

(B) building a common file comprising a contiguous grouping of the plurality of images; and

(C) providing said common file.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the building in (B) comprises:

building a common file comprising a contiguous grouping of the n video frames F1, F2, F3, . . . , Fn−

1, Fn.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining meta data associated with said n distinct locations in the video stream, wherein the common file comprises at least some of the meta data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the meta data includes one or more of:

timing information; and

location information.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the meta data comprise meta-data M1, M2, . . . , Mn relating to each of the frames F1, F2, F3, . . . , Fn−

1, Fn, where meta data Mj relates to frame Fj, for j=1 to n.